Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Biden Speaks Ahead of Multi-Day West Coast Visit; Biden's Approval Rebounds, But Still Struggling on Economy; DOJ to Supreme Court, Stay Out of Mar-a-Lago Documents Case. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired October 12, 2022 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:00:01]

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. I'm Bianna Golodryga.

This just in. President Biden speaking to reporters just moments ago as he departed the White House for a multiday West Coast tour.

CNN's M.J. Lee is at the White House with more. So, M.J., what did the president just say just moments ago?

M.J. LEE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Bianna. As you know, the president just departed the White House to go on this West Coast swing. And he actually stopped for a few minutes to take a number of questions from reporters, including a question from CNN. We asked him whether he had a reaction to the Herschel Walker controversy unfolding in Georgia and if Democrats could keep that seat. He also got a number of follow-up questions to Jake's interviews with the president last night on issues relating to Ukraine and Vladimir Putin. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: Mr. President, (INAUDIBLE) with the Herschel Walker controversy in Georgia. do you think Democrats can hold that seat?

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: I'm making it a yes.

REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE) right now. They're calling for a stopping of U.S. armed sale with Saudi Arabia. Will you support that legislation?

BIDEN: We're going to ask Saudi Arabia, and they're doing consultations when they come back. And we'll hold that (ph).

REPORTER: What's your reaction to recent Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine?

BIDEN: Same as always, man, brutal, it's beyond the pale.

REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE) meeting with Vladimir Putin to discuss Brittney Griner. Anything new on that front?

BIDEN: Not with Putin (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: Now, of course, the interview with Jake last night touched on a number of topics. And he really zeroed in on the issue the issue of everything that's unfolding in Ukraine, and really just drawing him out on the question of Vladimir Putin's mindset. And as these attacks continue freshly in Ukraine, of course, one of the key things that the president told Jake last night was he said, I think Vladimir Putin is a rational actor but who has miscalculated things significantly.

There was also a question last night from Jake about whether there have been discussions in the administration about what exactly the United States would do if Putin were to resort to using nuclear weapons. The president said, of course, those discussions are ongoing, but it would be irresponsible for him to get into the details in public about what the exactly the U.S. may or may not do.

But it was very clear that this whole question of whether Putin is a rational actor or not, that has taken on so much extra urgency, as he has acted by lashing out more and attacking these places across Ukraine, and, of course, this is an issue that this administration has really grappled with as they have confronted more nuclear saber- rattling from Vladimir Putin. Bianna?

GOLODRYGA: And these attacks have only increased this past week. M.J. Lee, thank you.

Well, this morning, on that note, at least seven people are dead and eight injured after Russian forces shelled a market in Eastern Ukraine. This as three people were rescued overnight after Russian missiles struck a residential building in Zaporizhzhia.

CNN Senior International Correspondent Fred Pleitgen is in Kyiv, Ukraine, with the latest. So, Fred, all of this comes as Russia is now accusing the west once again of nuclear rhetoric. A few weeks ago, President Putin accused the United States of setting a nuclear precedent. What more are you learning from what we heard from Putin today?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, Putin is continuing to lash out at the west --

GOLODRYGA: I believe we may have lost Fred.

Okay. Sorry, Fred, we lost your shot for a second.

PLEITGEN: Okay. Yes. So, Vladimir Putin earlier today, Bianna, he spoke at an energy conference in Moscow, where he, once again, lashed out at the U.S., lashed out at the west, talked about how he believed that it was in the U.S.'s interests to prolong the war in Ukraine. Obviously, the U.S. and its allies saying the opposite is the case. They want to bring this to an end as fast as possible. They want Russia obviously to get out of Ukraine.

But I think one of the things that is key to all of that, we just heard that from M.J. I think it's really important right now for the Ukrainians.

[10:05:00]

They say the key issue for them is those western air defense systems. Right now, as they're facing this onslaught from the sky with these long-distance Russian missiles hitting Ukrainian towns, really, all across the country, Valeriy Zaluzhny, the chief of staff of the Ukrainian military, he said that They --

GOLODRYGA: And we lost Fred's signal again. So, Fred Pleitgen, our thanks to you.

We're going to turn now to Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat from New Jersey. She's a former Navy pilot who served as a Russian policy officer for the U.S. Naval Forces. She now sits on the House Armed Services Committee. Congresswoman, thank you so much for joining us.

Unfortunate that we lost Fred's shot, but I think you heard the gist of what the Ukrainians are asking for, as well as what he heard from Vladimir Putin today. The Ukrainians simply want more air defense, more sophisticated air defense systems. The United States says two are en route over the next two months, six next year. Is that enough given the barrage we have witnessed just this week from Russia?

REP. MIKIE SHERRILL (D-NJ): Well, we're working incredibly hard to get the Ukrainian people what they need to make sure they are able to take on this fight with the Russians, and, of course, the Ukrainians have done extremely well with every tool we've given them. Their technology has been superb, their use of the weaponry, and, really, their desire to fight for their democratic rights.

And what we are seeing now is why this fight is so important, why democracy around the world is so important. What was really amazing about this experiment here in the United States when our founding fathers started it, is this idea that each individual has human rights, has something to say, has a right to weigh in on the type of government that they have and individual rights.

And we're seeing Putin go against everything we believe in, bombing hospitals and playgrounds and schools and residential buildings, trying to force the people of Russia to fight in a war that they want nothing to do with. We're seeing -- when he said he was going to conscript 300,000 soldiers, we're seeing people flee from Russia, we're seeing protests on the streets. And then we're seeing the Ukrainian people who have made this determination that their rights and freedoms are so critically important, that they are willing to take on one of the largest militaries on Earth to fight for those rights, and it's been truly impressive.

GOLODRYGA: And it has been impressive to see, and you look at the morale on both sides, where the morale is at low in terms of Russians and troops and Ukrainians just seem more determined than ever to defend their country.

That having been said, they continue to suffer from a lot of losses as well, particularly in the southeast region there, in the fighting in Kherson. And Ukrainians not only asking for missile defense, but they're asking for longer-range ammunition and missiles. The United States has, thus far, said no to that request. Is it time to rethink that?

SHERRILL: I think we really need to look at ensuring we're supplying the Ukrainians with everything we can for them to take on this fight. I think we should look at the longer-range missiles. And I've said that to the White House and I know they're considering what the path forward for Ukraine is and how we can get them everything they need to fight this fight.

And they have been so successful with the HIMARS and the M777s made in my district. They've been so successful with the tools we've given them. And now, we're giving them the air defense systems so they can continue. Because, as you said, the morale in the Russian troops has been at a low ebb, and that's probably, quite frankly, because they are committing war crimes in a fight that they don't want to take on.

And I saw it when I was over in Bucha and Irpin. And now, we're hearing these stories throughout the front, we're seeing the civilian targets that Putin and the Russian military have identified and are now sending missiles to destroy. It's really breathtaking the lack of concern for human beings, for children, that the Russians are now showing.

GOLODRYGA: You served as a Russian policy officer and worked on the implementation of the American nuclear treaty obligations. We just heard from the U.N. secretary-general that nuclear exercises will go on next week, as previously planned. These are routine exercises. It happened annually. As we know, though, there's nothing about the current dynamic and tensions in the region right now. Do you think it's wise that these exercises continue given in the past similar exercises have been put on hold these past seven months?

SHERRILL: I think it's really important that Putin understands that there is no path forward for him, should he choose to engage in a nuclear war, should he make this a nuclear war. I think it is really important that we work to deter that in every way possible.

[10:10:01]

And it's concerning because he has made grave miscalculations and mistakes from the start of this war. His lack of understanding of the world community and their push against him invading territory of democracies, the will of the Ukrainian people to continue to fight for their freedoms at very high costs, the destruction of his own internal economy.

And now we're seeing, even though he controls a lot of narrative in Russia proper, we're still seeing people in Russia balking at this horrible war. So, I think we need to make sure that despite the fact his back is really against the wall, because on one side, he has the hardliners, on the other side, he has the people of Russia pushing back on this war. We need to make sure that he knows that a nuclear strategy is something that he should not pursue. GOLODRYGA: Let me ask you quickly before you go on OPEC and Saudi Arabia and their shocking decision to cut production by 2 million barrels a day. Let's talk about the president and what he just said. And he said he would look into Saudi arms legislation when he returns from the West Coast in response to that move by OPEC+. Would you support that legislation?

SHERRILL: I certainly think we need to look carefully at our relationship with Saudi Arabia. We have worked with them in partnership against Iran in the region, which has been very important. But right now, to see that they are going down this path, that they are going down a path with Russia against democracy, against individual and human rights, and we've seen them go down this path in Yemen, we've seen the problems with free press with Khashoggi, we know that Saudi is not taking the path of democracy, human rights and freedom that we would like to see them take, and this is just another step away from those values.

I also find their decision, quite frankly, odd, given that we have worked very hard now in the last several pieces of legislation, including the National Defense Authorization Act out of the House on my committee, the House Armed Services Committee, to gain energy independence here in this country. And I think with an economy like Russia has, an economy like Saudi Arabia has, which is highly dependent on oil, almost nothing else in their economy supports them, to see them making these decisions to destabilize world oil markets, I think, is very short-sighted and will actually lead to people moving away from these fossil fuels more quickly than possibly if they hadn't engaged in this, to their detriment.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, we'll have to leave it there. Thank you, as always. We appreciate your time.

SHERRILL: Thank you so much.

GOLODRYGA: And still to come this morning, more from President Biden's exclusive CNN interview, as he acknowledging a slight recession is possible, how Americans are feeling about where the economy stands right now.

Plus --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is he's lying?

SENATE CANDIDATE HERSCHEL WALKER (R-GA): Yes, she's lying. Yes, she's lying. Yes, she's lying.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Herschel walker doubling down on his denial over abortion allegations, as big names in the GOP stand by Walker just weeks before the midterms.

And soon, jurors will deliberate the fate of the gunman behind the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, as the death penalty remains on the table.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:15:00]

GOLODRYGA: New polling out this morning showing signs momentum for President Biden, even as optimism surrounding the economy dwindles. A new CNN poll shows Biden's approval rating now stands at 44 percent, that's up six months from June and July. But Americans still feel incredibly worried about the state of the economy, with nearly four in five Americans describing the current conditions are poor.

CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash joins me now to discuss. Dana, always great to see you, my friend.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: You too.

GOLODRYGA: So, this was an issue that Jake discussed with the president last night. Clearly you could see the frustration in President Biden, saying, listen, I don't think a recession is imminent and people have been warning about a recession for months now. Let's listen to his words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Maybe six months, they look down. The next six months, we'll see what's going to happen. It hasn't happened yet. There is no guarantee that there is going to be a recession. I don't think there will be a recession. If it is, it will be very slight recession.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: So, no one has a magic ball here to predict what's going to happen in the future, but what message do you think he's trying to send to voters with that response?

BASH: He is trying to walk the finest of fine lines in that response. Because he is trying to play up the things that he believes that he and the Democratic-led Congress have done to help the economy, while also trying to acknowledge the reality of how people feel, the reality that is reflected in that poll that you showed.

I mean, if you think about it, just a little more than two in ten Americans are even somewhat positive about the economy, in the flipside, means that almost eight in ten say that they're really pessimistic about it. And that is the very real palpable sensibility that Democratic candidates who are on the ballot in less than one month, many actually effectively are right now because there's early voting going on, they just -- people just don't feel good.

And if you dig deeper into this poll, Bianna, Jen Agiesta, our polling director, made a point in the note that she sent out about the very real short-term political challenges in that they looked at the 50 most competitive congressional districts.

[10:20:14] And in those, it is especially challenging when it comes to how voters feel, or at least the people who CNN talk to in this poll, how people feel about the current economic conditions. You see there on the screen, it is very stark.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. And inflation remains stubbornly high. We're seeing oil prices start to creep up and concerns about the impact of OPEC+'s shocking decision to cut production.

The issue of the president's age also came up with Jake last night. He's soon to turn 80 years old. He would be 82 if he runs again. And this is a conversation that, let's just be frank, had quite frequently within the Democratic Party as to whether he should be running given his age. Here was his response to that question.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: So, what's your message to Democrats, who like you, who like what you have done, but are concerned about your age and demands of the job?

BIDEN: Well, they're concerned about whether or not I'm getting anything done. Look what I've gotten anything done. Name me a president in recent history that has gotten this much done as I have in the first two years? Not a joke.

It's a matter of can you do the job. And I believe I can do the job. I've been able to do the job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: I mean, he's got a point there, and he also believes that he's the only one who could beat former President Trump if he runs again. He has got a history to prove him right on that note as well. Are the Democrats doing a disservice to him and the party by continuing to talk about this issue?

BASH: Democrats, the ones who are talking about it, are, for the most part, talking about it, because they're hearing it from their constituents, pretty much how you set up your question and that sound bite, Bianna. And it is true, you're right, he does have a point that the Biden administration has gotten a lot done legislatively and through the power of his pen, particularly given where things stood when he took office with the COVID pandemic still absolutely raging.

Having said that, when it comes to presidents, it's not just -- again, it's almost like the economy, it's not just about what they have done. It's about how people feel. And presidents are very personal when it comes to Americans. And they are in Americans' living rooms, nowadays, on their phones, representing the United States of America, the embodiment of America. And he is not a young man. And that is also something that is just a fact, and it is something that the Democratic Party is grappling with. Maybe it's something that the Republican Party will grapple with, if, in fact, Donald Trump runs because he's not that much younger than Joe Biden.

GOLODRYGA: No, he's not a spring chicken either.

BASH: No.

GOLODRYGA: Dana Bash, always great to see you, thank you so much.

BASH: Thanks.

GOLODRYGA: Well, the January 6th committee plans to lay out more of their case, including a surprising finding in what is expected to be their last hearing before the midterms. What can we expect? We'll tell you, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:25:00]

GOLODRYGA: The Justice Department filing a response to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, opposing former President Trump's request for the court to intervene over the dispute over classified documents seized from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate last summer.

The DOJ called the records extraordinarily sensitive and that the court should let stand a federal appeals court order that blocked the special master's access over those records while legal challenges play out.

Joining me now to discuss is former Federal Judge Nancy Gertner and Federal and White Collar Criminal Defense Attorney Caroline Polisi. Welcome both of you.

Nancy, let me begin with you and get your response to the Justice Department's arguing, saying that, quote, Trump has not even attempted to explain how he is irreparably injured by the court of appeal's partial stay, which simply prevents disclosure of the documents bearing classification markings in the special master review during the pendency of the government's expedited appeal.

What do you make of the DOJ's arguments and do you expect the Supreme Court to even take up the case?

NANCY GERTNER, FORMER FEDERAL JUDGE: Well, let me answer that in two parts. The DOJ's filing was substantial, was extraordinary, and I think any judge reviewing it would say, of course, Trump and the special master -- it's not just the special master, but Trump wants access to the 100 and so classified documents that were especially set aside for review here while the ongoing review of all the other documents are going on.

And what they say, which is absolutely clear, is that Trump has no entitlement to the classified documents. He has no attorney-client privilege with respect to classified documents, no executive privilege, and for the purposes of emergency relief before the Supreme Court, he has no showing of why he is irreparably harmed.

Should the Supreme Court intervene in this kind of factual dispute, it would be extraordinary and without basis. [10:30:07]